Few players on the planet know the business of knockout rugby better than George Ford : 10 major finals and counting, with wins and losses and great moments and painful exits.

His latest taste of walking the tightrope will be with Sale Sharks in the Premiership semi-finals on Saturday, away to the club where he made his name, Leicester Tigers .

“The two times I’ve been fortunate to win the Premiership has been at Leicester,” Ford says.

“So I’ve had some great times and memories, at Welford Road in particular, but let’s hope it’s the other way around this week.

“I was there nine years [but] it will be ‘right, let’s get the job done today’, and it’s quite a ruthless way of thinking but that’s what we need to do.”

We met at Tuesday night’s Premiership awards ceremony in London, w

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